European flight numbers up 12.5% week-on-week to YTD peak

London (Quantum Commodity Intelligence) - Flight numbers in Europe jumped 12.5% last week and the seven-day moving average comparison to 2019 climbed 3.6 percentage points, data from Eurocontrol, the Brussels-based aviation agency, showed Monday.

The commercial flight count in 41 countries, ranging from Iceland to Morocco, Ukraine and Turkey, rose to 108,306 over the seven days to June 6, up 11,976 flights from a week earlier to record the highest weekly tally so far this year.

The seven-day moving average improved to 54.6% below 2019 levels by June 6, up from 58.2% below on May 31. 

Flights to and from Spain jumped 21% over the week as holidaymakers headed to the beaches, rising 2,879 flights over the week to 16,512.

Spain was also the busiest country for flights in the 41 countries, followed by Germany.  

The number of flights to and from Portugal was up almost 9% over the week to 4,906, although the UK will place the country on its amber list on June 8, which means people need to self-isolate for ten days when they return.

Portugal has also issued new restrictions until June 13 amid a fresh outbreak of Covid-19.